Connecting unit for tent frames



July 11, 1967 L. H. MORRIS CONNECTING UNIT FOR TENT FRAMES Filed Aug. 17, 1964 INVENTOR. 04216]! J2, Mali Z15 a/W-EPMW United States Patent Ofiice 3,330,582 Patented July 11, 1967 3,330,582 CONNECTING UNIT FOR TENT FRAMES Lowell H. Morris, Dixon, Calif., assignor to Morris Manufactoring Company, Dixon, Calif., a partnership Filed Aug. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 390,053 2 Claims. (Cl. 28785) This invention relates in general to an improvement in portable knockdown tent frames of the type which, when assembled, serve to support relatively small tents such as are used by campers, hunters, fishermen, and the like.

This type of tent frame is commonly made of a number of longitudinal sections of lightweight metallic tubing; certain adjacent ends of such tubular sections being detachably connected together when the frame is assembled and the tent erected.

The present invention is directed to, and it is a major object to provide, a novel connecting unit adapted to be employed as the coupling between related or adjacent ends of certain of the tubular sections which comprise a portable knockdown tent frame of the type described.

An additional important object of this invention is to provide a connecting unit, as above, which can be easily and readily engaged or disengaged; the unit including a pair of initially separate parts with each such part fixed on one end of the corresponding tubular section of the tent frame.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a connecting unit, as in the preceding paragraph, which after coupling of the partsis not subject to accidental disengagement upon assembly of the frame and erection of the tent.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a connecting unit which-upon coupling of the parts-permits one of the connected tubular sections of the frame to assume a different angular relation to the other connected tubular section without twisting or imposing undue bending strains on either of such sections.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a connecting unit, for the purpose described, which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture; the unit providing a positive and stable coupling when in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable connecting unit for tent frames and one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the connecting unit with the parts coupled but with the related tubular sections in their initially substantially right angular relation.

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but partly in section and showing the position of the parts of the connecting unit after the related tubular sections have been relatively moved to increase the included angle therebetween; such relative movement occurring when the frame is assembled and the tent erected.

Refer-ring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the novel connecting unit is indicated generally at 1; such unit serving as the coupling between the related or adjacent ends of a pair of longitudinal tubular sections, indicated at 2 and 3. The tubular sections 2 and 3 are part of a portable knockdown tent frame not otherwise shown; it being understood, however, that in such a frame there exists a number of pairs of such sections which are detachably coupled upon assembly of the 'frame and erection of the tent.

The tubular sections 2 and 3 are of a lightweight metal,

such as aluminum; the section 2 representing, for example, a ridge pole of a tent frame, while the section 3 represents, for example, an upstanding post of such frame.

The connecting unit 1 is preferably of heavy duty plastic and comprises the following:

A cylindrical plug 4 is engaged in one end of the tubular section 2; such plug, 'at its outer end, being formed with an annular radially outwardly projecting shoulder 5 which abuts against the outer circumferential edge of said section 2. The plug 4 is prevented from escape from the section 2 by means of a circumferential channel 6 formed in the plug intermediate its ends and into which channel the adjacent portion of the section 2 is deformed from opposite sides, as at 7.

At its outer end, the plug 4 is formed in integral relation with a flat tongue 8 which projects outwardly endwise or longitudinally with respect to the tubular section 2; such tongue having a circular orifice 9 therethrough. The tongue 8, while quite stiff, is bendable and resilient.

A cylindrical plug 10, identical to the plug 4, is engaged in one end of the tubular section 3 and likewise includes a shoulder 5 abutting the outer circumferential edge of said section 3. Also, the plug 10 is secured in the section 3 in the same manner as said plug 4; to-wit, by a circumferential channel 6 into which a part of the section is deformed, as at 7.

At its outer end, the plug 10 is formed in integral relation with a central outwardly projecting neck 11 which extends endwise or longitudinally of the tubular section 3; such neck being somewhat elongated, circular in cross section, and of a predetermined diameter.

At the end opposite plug 10, the neck 11 is formed in integral relation with a rounded, slightly enlarged knob 12. The outside diameter of the knob 12 is no less, and preferably slightly greater, than the inside diameter of the circular orifice 9, while the outside diameter of the neck 11 is somewhat less than the inside diameter of said orifice. The purpose of such dimensioning will later appear.

The connecting unit 1 is initially disengaged, i.e., the tongue 8 is separate from the neck 11, and this being the condition of the parts when the tent frame is knocked down and the sections 2 and 3 are separated from each other.

In order to connect the tubular sections 2 and 3 upon assembly of the tent frame, said sections are initially disposed in substantially right angular relation, as shown in FIG. 1.

The knob 12 is then projected or pressed through the circular orifice 9 whereby to dispose the neck 11 in a position extending through the latter; the neck then being fairly free in said orifice.

As the tent frame is assembled and the tent erected, the tubular sections 2 and 3 are relatively moved in a direction to increase the included angle therebetween; the section 2 being swung upwardly to an incline, while the section 3 is tilted somewhat inwardly, as shown in FIG. 3. When this occurs, the tongue 8 is canted, also as shown in FIG. 3, until the opposed upper and lower edges of said tongue about the orifice 9 frictionally bind or grip against the neck 11, as at 13 and 14. When this occurs, there is, of course, some bending or bowing of the tongue 8 between the neck 11 and plug 4; this being possible because of the inherent resiliency of the material from which the tongue 8 is formed.

Upon the parts of the connecting unit 1 being coupled together and the tubular sections 2 and 3 disposed in the positions occupied thereby when the frame is assembled and the tent erected, such connecting unit provides a most effective coupling yet one which prevents any motion of one of said sections from imposing any possible twisting, bending, or otherwise damaging strains on the other of said sections.

Also, the connecting unit 1 cannot, when in use, become accidentally detached. This is for the reason that, because of the relative dimensioning, the knob 12 can pass through the orifice 9 only with a rather substantial frictional drag, but which is not sufficient to prevent manual disengagement of the parts without undue effort and when the tent frame is being knocked down.

The tongue being resilient and initially straight, it naturally tends to return to such straight position when bent or deflected, and thus exerts a firm frictional grip on the neck.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a connecting unit as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the connecting unit, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. The combination, with angularly related first and second tubular sections of a tent, frame, the sections having adjacent, substantially hollow ends, of a resilient, plastic connecting unit comprising:

plastic plug-type engagement means telescopically engaged with and secured to the end of the first section;

a shoulder on the end of the plug-type engagement means limiting telescopic engagement thereof with the end of the first section;

an elongated neck of substantially circular cross section projecting outwardly from the shoulder and from the end of the first section, the neck having an outer end;

an enlarged knob on the 'outer end of the neck;

second plastic plug-type engagement means telescopically engaged with and secured to the end of the second section;

a second shoulder on said second engagement means limiting telescopic engagement thereof with the end of the second section;

a substantially fiat tongue 'on the second shoulder projecting outwardly therefrom and from the end of the second section, the tongue having an outer end;

the tongue having a substantially circular orifice formed therethrough adjacent its outer end; and

the orifice being dimensioned to receive the knob therethrough only with a snap fit, the outside diameter of said neck being somewhat less than the inside diameter of said orifice and the length of said neck being sufficiently greater than the thickness of said tongue so as to allow both canting and binding of the tongue when said sections are angularly related.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein:

said plug-type engagement means are seated within the ends of said sections.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,945,932 2/1934 Coley 248-74 2,135,961 11/1938 Chenoweth 135-4 2,232,306 2/1941 Baldwin 1353 2,793,388 5/ 1957 Bartholomew 28793 X 2,972,833 2/ 1961 Grutta 4625 FOREIGN PATENTS 217,352 9/ 1958 Australia.

625,777 7/ 1949 Great Britain.

923,259 4/ 1963 Great Britain.

21,994 5/ 1900 Switzerland.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

A. V. KUNDRAT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. THE COMBINATION, WITH ANGULARLY RELATED FIRST AND SECOND TUBULAR SECTIONS OF A TENT, FRAME, THE SECTIONS HAVING ADJACENT, SUBSTANTIALLY HOLLOW ENDS, OF A RESILIENT, PLASTIC CONNECTING UNIT COMPRISING: PLASTIC PLUG-TYPE ENGAGEMENT MEANS TELESCOPICALLY ENGAGED WITH AND SECURED TO THE END OF THE FIRST SECTION; A SHOULDER ON THE END OF THE PLUG-TYPE ENGAGEMENT MEANS LIMITING TELESCOPIC ENGAGEMENT THEREOF WITH THE END OF THE FIRST SECTION; AN ELONGATED NECK OF SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR CROSS SECTION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THE SHOULDER AND FROM THE END OF THE FIRST SECTION, THE NECK HAVING AN OUTER END; AN ENLARGED KNOB ON THE OUTER END OF THE NECK; SECOND PLASTIC PLUG-TYPE ENGAGEMENT MEANS TELESCOPICALLY ENGAGED WITH AND SECURED TO THE END OF THE SECOND SECTION; A SECOND SHOULDER ON SAID SECOND ENGAGEMENT MEANS LIMITING TELESCOPIC ENGAGEMENT THEREOF WITH THE END OF THE SECOND SECTION; A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT TONGUE ON THE SECOND SHOULDER PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM AND FROM THE END OF THE SECOND SECTION, THE TONGUE HAVING AN OUTER END; THE TONGUE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR ORIFICE FORMED THERETHROUGH ADJACENT ITS OUTER END; AND THE ORIFICE BEING DIMENSIONED TO RECEIVE THE KNOB THERETHROUGH ONLY WITH A SNAP FIT, THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID NECK BEING SOMEWHAT LESS THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID ORIFICE AND THE LENGTH OF SAID NECK BEING SUFFICIENTLY GREATER THAN THE THICKNESS OF SAID TONGUE SO AS TO ALLOW BOTH CANTING AND BINDING OF THE TONGUE WHEN SAID SECTIONS ARE ANGULARLY RELATED. 